Harald Blåtand

Harald Bluetooth

The wireless technology for exchanging data over short distances known as "Bluetooth" is named after Harald. Harald united the various Danish tribes into one kingdom in the same way the Bluetooth system can connect any type varied types of technology. The Bluetooth logo is a bind rune merging the runes of Harald's initials. [from Wikipedia].

HE WAS THE FIRST NORWEGIAN KING TO ACCEPT CHRISTIANITY. Many details of his life and parentage are disputed. His son Knut and grandsons Harold Harefood and Harthacnut ruled England for 26 years, followed by the House of Essex.

FATHER: HARALD Gormsen, son of GORM "den Gamle/the Old" King of Denmark & his wife Tyre "Danebod" ([925/35]-Jomsborg 1 Dec [986/87], buried Roskilde Cathedral). He succeeded his father before 950 as HARALD I "Blåtand/Bluetooth" King of Denmark.

m firstly ([before 960]) GUNHILD, daughter of ---. m secondly TOVE, daughter of [MSTIVOJ] & his wife --- (-[990]). [m [thirdly] ([984/85]) GYRITHA of Sweden, sister of STYRBJÖRN "den Starke/the Strong" King of Sweden, daughter of ---. King Harald I had six children, maybe all by his first wife although this is not certain:

1. HAKON Haraldsen (-before 987). 2. SVEND Haraldsen ([960]-Gainsborough 3 Feb 1014, bur in England, later removed to Roskilde Cathedral). He succeeded his father in [987] as SVEND I "Tveskæg/Forkbeard" King of Denmark. 3. TYRE Haraldsdatter (-18 Sep [1000]). m firstly STYRBJÖRN [Björn] “den Starke/the Strong" of Sweden, from Jomsburg, son of OLOF Björnsson King of Sweden & his wife --- (-killed in battle Fyrisvall, near Uppsala 985). m secondly (divorced) as his [---] wife, BURISLAW Prince of the Wends, son of ---. m thirdly (Tønsberg 998) as his third wife, OLAV I Trygveson King of Norway, son of TRYGVE Olavvsson King in Romerike & his wife Åstrid Eiriksdatter ([968]-in a sea battle in the Øresund, off Svold near Rügen 9 Sep [1000]). 4. GUNHILD Haraldsdatter (-murdered in England 13 Nov 1002). The primary source which confirms her parentage and marriage has not yet been identified. She was killed while a hostage in England, one of the victims of the massacre of Danes ordered by King Æthelred II. m PALLIG [Palle] Ealdorman in Devonshire (-murdered in England 13 Nov 1002). 5. MO Haraldsdatter (-[1015]). The primary source which confirms her parentage has not yet been identified. 6. THORGNY Haraldsdatter . The primary source which confirms her parentage and marriage has not yet been identified. m THRUGOT ---. Thrugot & his wife had one child: a) THORGUNNA Thrugotsdatter. SUCCESSOR TO GORM THE OLD, KING OF DENMARK, RULED 940 TO 986 King of England 1013-1014. King of Denmark 986-987 and 1000-1014.

Harold Bluetooth, d. c.985, king of Denmark. Succeeding (935) his father, Gorm the Old, who had united Denmark, Harold consolidated the kingdom. He tried to assert suzerainty over Norway but was defeated by the Germans. He was forced to accept Christianity, which he introduced into Denmark. While fighting the forces of his son Sweyn, he was defeated and killed. Read more: Harold Bluetooth | Infoplease.com The Nickname

The first documented appearance of Harald's nickname "Bluetooth" is in the Chronicon Roskildense from 1140. The usual explanation is that Harold must have had a conspicuous bad tooth that was "blue" (i.e. black, as "blue" meant dark).

Another explanation is that he was called Thegn in England (corrupted to "tan" when the name came back into Old Norse); in England, Thane meant chief. Since blue meant "dark", his nickname was really "dark chieftain".

A third theory, according to curator at the Royal Jelling Hans Ole Mathiesen, was that Harald went about clothed in blue. Blue colored cloth was in fact the most expensive, so by walking in blue Harald underlined his royal dignity.[1]

King Harald Bluetooth ? - ca. 987 King 958 - ca. 987

Harald Bluetooth was son of Gorm the Old and Queen Thyra. The year when Harald is born

is unknown, but it is assumed that he died in the fall of 980 in Jomsborg, because of an arrow, which was shot by a supporter (Palnatoke) of his rebellious son, Svend. King Harald was probably buried in Treenighedskirken in Roskilde, which he had himself started build. The German historian Adam of Bremen mentions that Harald Bluetooth was married to Queen Gunhild.

A runic stone, which is situated by Sønder Vissing Church south of Silkeborg describes a woman who calls herself Tove, as "Mistivojs daughter, Harald The Good, the son of Gorms wife", so Harald must have been married twice.

The larger Jellingstone is the largest and the most magnificent runic stone in Scandinavia, also called " Denmarks Birth Certificate". It is equipped with Christian symbols, among others a Christ figure and runic letters. Erected about 965 for Gorm The Old and Thyra Danebod by the son Harald Bluetooth.

HARALD Gormsen ([925/35][151]-Jomsborg 1 Dec [986/87], bur Roskilde Cathedral). Adam of Bremen records that "filium autem regis [=Worm] Haroldum" succeeded as ruler in Denmark[152]. He succeeded his father before 950 as HARALD I "Blåtand/Bluetooth" King of Denmark. http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/DENMARK.htm

HARALD Gormsen, son of GORM "den Gamle/the Old" King of Denmark & his wife Tyre "Danebod" ([925/35]-Jomsborg 1 Dec [986/87], bur Roskilde Cathedral[154]). Adam of Bremen records that "filium autem regis [=Worm] Haroldum" succeeded as ruler in Denmark[155]. Saxo Grammaticus names Harald as son of Tyre[156]. The Chronicon Roskildense names "Gorm pater Haraldi", specifying that "Haraldus" reigned for 15 years during the life of his father and 50 years after his father died, and was known as "Blatan sive Clac Harald", on the other hand a later passage specifies that Harald succeeded his father Gorm[157]. He succeeded his father before 950 as HARALD I "Blåtand/Bluetooth" King of Denmark.... According to King Olav Trygvason's Saga, King Harald defeated his son but died from wounds received in the battle[167]. http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/DENMARK.htm# Harald I died 986-987.

Harald Bluetooth as king
With his wife Gunhild was Harald's son Svein was baptized along with the rest of the family. In addition to the name Svein had a son also named to the German-Roman Emperor, Otto. A name that Sweyn apparently never used since.

With absolute authority in Denmark Harald Bluetooth could also turn their attention beyond its borders. He came several times to help Richard I of Normandy (in the years 945 and 963). He also took Harald Fairhair son Harald Gråfell under his protection in his battle for the Norwegian throne, and failed him again later as part of the tactical game with different players to play off against each other. By setting up a trap for Harald Gråfell in 970 that got him killed, Harald Bluetooth focused instead on the earl, who had helped to defend Daneveldet against the Germans. It turned out that Earl Hakon was a much cunning ruler than the Danish king had expected, and the Earl shook off his ties to Denmark as soon as he had come to power.

The Norse King Sagas, especially those of Snorri Sturluson, Harald Bluetooth has portrayed in a negative light. He was apparently twice forced to submit to the Swedish Viking chief Styrbjørn Strong, first by giving Styrbjørn a fleet of ships and men, and then to give him his daughter, Tyra, Harold's daughter, and then for the second time by giving Styrbjørn more ships . Styrbjørn Strong sailed north to Uppsala in Sweden to the Swedish throne by force from King Erik the Victorious, but then broke Harald Bluetooth's oath of allegiance and fled back to Denmark and avoided confronting the Danish army at Fyrisvall.

One consequence of that Harald Bluetooth Army lost to the Germans in 974 was that his grip on Norway was weakened and that the Germans settled on the border of Denmark to the south. In 983, the German settlers were driven out by an army consisting of a Slavic people, obotrittere and Harald's warriors. Shortly after, however, Steve's time as king over. Not by external forces from Norway or Germany, but by his own son, Sweyn.